North West Counties League First Division North
Campion joint manager Lee Ashforth says the weight of expectation is heavier on Golcar United ahead of tonight’s GroundHop special.
Golcar’s home derby clash with Campion kicks off the North West Counties GroundHop weekend.
“I personally haven’t got any ties with Golcar because I wasn’t involved with Campion in the West Riding County Amateur but for people who have been around Golcar and Campion for a while, it is a big derby for them,” Ashforth told Non League Yorkshire.
“Golcar will be looking to bounce back as they’ve had a couple of poor results and they’re be looking to cement their place in the play-offs.
“They will be looking to secure that second or third spot so they have a home draw going into the play-offs.
“I guess because we won on Saturday, all the pressure is on Golcar rather than us.
“It is a free hit for us but hopefully we’ll go there and take a result in front of a big crowd.”
Campion eased their relegation fears with the 2-1 defeat of Atherton LR last weekend and Ashforth said it was a big result.
“It was a nervy game as you’d expect because it was a relegation six-pointer, let’s be honest,” he said.
“You look at how results went, if we had lost we would have been in serious trouble.
“But the fact we won, it gives us a bit of breathing space.
“Whether it makes us completely safe is another argument.
“We have six games to go and there’s a couple – Ashton, Daisy Hill – where you’d look and say they are games which could us to the 40 point target.”
Golcar is expected to be rammed this evening and Ashforth thinks it will be a special occasion.
“With it being a Friday night and Golcar being well-supported, you could be looking 500 or 600 people,” he said.
“It will be good and a good experience for some of our lads.
“They are used to only playing in front of 80 or 90 people.
“A big crowd lifts you and the fact it is a derby should make an entertaining game involving two attacking teams who are both struggling to keep clean sheets.”